Happy Independence Day Iraq

The British media, which have been more critical of the Bush
administration's Iraq policy than the American media, are displaying some
signs of optimism about the war. Sunday's Times reported the results of an
Opinion Research Business Poll of more than 5,000 Iraqis. It said the
majority is "optimistic," despite their suffering in sectarian violence.
This despite the fact that 26 percent of Iraqis report a family member has
been murdered. In Baghdad, 33 percent has had a relative kidnapped and 35
percent said members of their family had fled abroad. And yet, when asked
whether they preferred life under Saddam Hussein or elected Prime Minister
Nouri al-Maliki, 49 percent of those polled said they were better off today.

Despite the regular use of the term "civil war" in the media to describe the
continuing, but apparently diminishing violence in and near Baghdad, only 27
percent of those polled described it as such; 61 percent did not.

There are other signs of budding optimism. In Karadeh, formerly an affluent
shopping area of Baghdad, some shops have started to reopen and murderous
sectarian checkpoints have begun to disappear, as Iraqi and American
security forces dominate more of the capital.

If this surge continues to work and hopeful buds turn to blossoms of freedom
for Iraqis, there will be many American politicians with more than egg on
their faces. Congressional war opponents will deserve to lose the next
election because of the worst possible display of bad judgment.

If stability is achieved and freedom preserved, March 20, 2003, will no
longer be seen as the "beginning" of a war, but as Independence Day for a
nation whose renaissance may just turn the tide of this world war in
freedom's direction.